Help bring Leah back from Uganda for critical care

Leah has suddenly become immobile, totally dependent on her husband Roberts, family and health carers to survive.

Leah desperately needs to fly back to Australia, as soon as she is stable enough to do so, for vital specialist care.

Leah’s battle began six weeks ago, with an adrenal crisis (she lives with adrenal insufficiency so any sickness or stress of any sort is life-threatening).

The adrenal crisis came on first after the heartbreak of one of their Mbuyu graduates passing away, leaving six kids behind. The emotional stress led to an adrenal crisis.

Then Leah contracted malaria along with bacterial infections. During this episode she suddenly complained of severe chest pain & was rushed to hospital with a pulmonary embolism being diagnosed.

During treatment for the pulmonary embolism she twice had some kind of attack on her system and had to be revived twice.

About a week into her treatment she suddenly felt horrendous pain throughout her body and lost all movement in her arms and legs, leaving her paralyzed and totally depended on others to survive.

Leah’s working really hard and pushing through the pain to get her muscles to wake up. She’s making every effort through physio and rehab and has thankfully regained minimal movement in her fingers, hands and feet, which is positive to see.

However it is vital she receives specialist care back home in Newcastle, Australia.

Specialists have told Rob’s it may take weeks or so before Leah is well enough to fly back to Australia. Her mother has travelled from Newcastle to be there with them in Uganda, to help support them as well.

Leah married Roberts after meeting him in an orphanage in Kampala, Uganda when she travelled there as a young lady with The Salvation Army.

It was the same orphanage Roberts grew up in. It was a chance meeting, and although both very shy their attraction to each other was obvious!

They kept in touch, and in Leah’s return visit to Uganda, began dating and married soon after; recently celebrating ten years of marriage!

Roberts was studying to become a doctor at the time, completing his degree in Uganda and with Leah, had 3 children along the way. In Uganda they adopted a fourth child and then continued the work they were doing in setting up The Mbuyu Foundation.

The Mbuyu Foundation is supporting the very orphanage Rob’s grew up in, which was closed due to Covid. The Foundation is expanding its care for orphans, as well as now many women and families in the slums.

Particularly, Rob’s is passionate about providing medical surgery to woman with any needs, especially pregnant women, as his Mum died in childbirth with his Dad dying weeks later, leaving the six children to be raised in several orphanages.

Rob’s and Leah have dedicated their life to serving others in the slums and now Rob’s has his own little clinic where he sees patients and recently began doing surgeries under anaesthetic at the "Fowlers Clinic", named in honour of the family that sponsored him as a little boy.

They need to pay for the expensive treatment Leah is currently receiving, not covered by insurance, as well as arrange flights back to Australia for full diagnosis and lengthy recovery.

The Makandas are in dire need of help.

All donations made, go directly towards assisting them in this crisis. They have devoted their lives to helping others and now they find themselves in a battle requiring our help!

All donations are very gratefully appreciated.